Well, here we are again. Another year gone by and I honestly didn’t see it coming. Seriously. Where did the time go? They say that time flies when you’re having fun. If that’s true, then 2010 must have been one helluva nonstop party. Too bad I can’t remember it!

I don’t usually make a lot of New Year’s resolutions. Been there, done that. I find that I usually break most of them by the end of January, and then spend the rest of the year beating myself up over it. Who needs that kind of pressure? I mean, I know that I’m never going to hoof it to the gym at 6:00 a.m. three times a week. Almost everyone who knows me, knows it too. So why set myself up for failure? Instead, I try to set a few goals that I want to achieve, and work toward them in small, realistic increments. I probably won’t be making many any pre-dawn visits to the gym. But, I might take Bella for an extra walk around the block from time to time.

The past twelve months have been a mixture of bitter and sweet for me. I’ve had some wonderful new opportunities come my way, like my gigs writing for Edible Sarasota Magazine and the Tampa Tribune. I’ve also had some not so wonderful things happen in my life, but I won’t bore you with the details. A new year is on the horizon and that means a fresh start and a world of possibilities. I have a feeling that 2011 is going to be my year. I can taste it! And, I hope you’ll all come along for the ride.

The slideshow below features my favorite SGCC recipes of 2010. I’ve chosen one from each month. Some may be familiar to you and some may be new. I hope you enjoy them as much as I’ve enjoyed sharing them with you.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful! And, a fire would be so delightful – if there was one. Since my fireplace remains in the same pristine state it was in when we built it fifteen years ago, (Don’t ask!), I’ve been looking for other ways to stay warm and …

One of this month’s rotation of French Fridays with Dorie recipes is Leek and Potato Soup. As luck would have it, I just happened to have a surplus of potatoes and leeks that didn’t get used for Thanksgiving. Poor little things! They’ve been feeling lonely and unloved just sitting …

Hello and welcome to SGCC! I’m Susan, a professional writer, food columnist, recipe developer, wife, mother, daughter and sister, who used to be a lawyer in a previous life. My love of food comes from a long line of wonderful and creative Italian home cooks who didn’t always have a lot, but knew how to make a lot out of what they had. I hope that you enjoy yourself while you’re here, and visit often! read more >>